Looks ace. I’d enjoy an afternoon there

If your lad is likely to become a pro, I sympathise. Otherwise I think having a bad bike when young can have its benefits.

I had a BSO until I was 19/20, but I was well into my riding for many years before that.

Having a bad bike but trying to maintain and upgrade it on a meagre budget and with limited knowledge is all part of the fun. I bought lots of “upgrade” parts (mostly anodised blue) and bolted them on. Spent hour after hour adjusting canti brakes and cup and cone bearings. These days, and based on that learning, I can service forks and shocks, mend cars, and make aeroplane parts.

So, you know, don’t dismiss it because it’s crap. It can have other benefits.

I’ve used two brothers – bad job. I don’t think they even stripped the frame, you could make out the old decals under the new powder.

Have since used cbf coating in neepsend. They dipped, coated and clear coated a road frame for me. It wasn’t the cheapest but they did a lovely job. I’d use them again.

Ken Block sounds like Donald Trump.

There are plenty of groups of customers who’ll be interested in this type of service I’m sure.

The one that springs to mind for me is the young bloke whose car seemingly does define them. Lots of my previous neighbours were in this group, living with parents, not drinking, but renting a £50k+ car. They’d spend all their free time driving around with their mates. Then a wedding would happen and the street would be lined with rented supercars. One family over the road spent £15k on cars for the weekend.

I doubt their hobby makes much financial sense to the majority but it made them happy, and I can see how a new rangie or an F Type every 3 months would be attractive to them. I suspect lots of manufacturers will be adopting the model in time.

Near as dammit infinite £/g

Got it warrantied, and sold it on.

And I think I bought it from you – I picked it up from you at work not far from derby?

If so, bike has been ace. It’s now on a ship due to meet me in Australia in October, ready for a dusty summer.

Just hoping it doesn’t crack again!

How was that? You weren’t in the travel-lodge in Surry Hills by any chance? Manged to avoid “relations” with any security guards I hope?

As good as it could be! We were in the Harbour Marriott. Were given a suite so got really lucky, plus had another person and work to keep me distracted.

The downside is that I feel so unfit after two weeks of no exercise, I can’t seem to get back into fitness.

Flew to Australia on Singapore at the start of the month. In order of the travel experience:

Heathrow = very little different to normal, including busyness and businesses. Mayhem to be honest.

Plane to Singapore = packed but well managed

Singapore = empty and professional

Plane To Sydney = Empty

Sydney = relatively busy but very professional

Have finished quarantine now, and not in a hurry to fly again soon!

I bought a commencal meta in 2015 which cost my a little less than a grand. Came with pike rcs, monarch shock, 1×10 sram groupset and was generally very good.

The same bike now would cost 22% more, because of the drop in the value of the pound.

I would suggest the damage is already done.

Stealth-a-majig. It’s a real thing. They’re expensive (£5 each or something) but once you’ve used them, you’ll wish all brakes had them.

Vorsprung fractive is an option. I fitted one to mine and it made the world of difference. It was £70ish but a tricky fit requiring shaft clamps etc. TFT can fit them during a service, but the price is approaching grip2 at that point.

I’d wondered why there were so many twitchers about in the peak – vulture explains a lot!

Getting out on the road bike reveals a lot about the business. Hot spots like the Hope valley have been heaving, but a couple of miles out and it’s calm enough. As mentioned above people have no imagination and head for the same spots, leaving the really good bits quiet.

I’ve had a belly full of idiot drivers. I get at least one close pass per ride and spend most of my time riding not enjoying the event, but instead plotting revenge or imagining what kind of scum has just put my life on the line without a second thought.

However, I think that the intolerant behaviour towards cyclists is a symptom and not the cause of the issue. We’ve had little to no investment in cycle infrastructure, likewise little in the way of road upgrades for a long time. Meanwhile growth in vehicle sales and house building in metro areas is constantly supported by the state, leading to ever increasing levels of congestion and driver frustration. Angry man in the OP’s post is still a bellend and deserves a slap at some point, but he’s just reacting to the environment he’s in.

Will our current government sort the problem? Unlikely. The next one? As unlikely, I suspect. Change will be a long time coming as public support and understanding for more liveable places just isn’t part of our culture at the moment.

Just adding to the list of STWers who have lived on Bradley Street (140 from memory, around 2008).

Nice road that.

The Mk1 frame was boost QR, which was a bit of an issue finding a hub for. The new version with bolt through should be fine.

CRC have the 38 model on the site

Colin, not working

Anyone in Yorkshire (with a sexy face) fancy driving me around?

Have a car, but I could sell it and buy a BIGRIG if someone else drives me around.

Gravel kings for me (non-sk). Roll well, light, tubeless and cheap. Only had punctures that won’t seal after they’ve flatted off.

Anyone else struggle with the reality that we live in a world where people have to drive 20,000 miles a year to go to work?

Yep. Seems bananas and not something I’d want to do. All that time spent trundling up and down motorways. Not so bad this time of year but I’d not cope during the winter sat in long, rainy and traffic jams with thousands of brake lights glaring at you for hours on end.

Anyway, on a more positive note – I’d go for the older, comfortable and reliable option. E class is a good shout, I bet you can get a decent E220d saloon for decent money (non-AMG spec for cheapness and comfort). I’d also budget to upgrade the radio to carplay, either through a new head unit or a software upgrade to the built in system. I know these things are available for E60 BMWs etc, and would seriously improve the long-range comfort and bare-ability of 35k miles per year whilst not pouring money down the drain.

Seen a chap and his kid doing laps of Cannings (I must’ve seen them do at least 5) on an ebike with one of these setups.

Looked almost enough fun to make me consider having kids. Not sure it looked fun enough to make me consider an ebike though – that’s a step too far!

I bought a s/h lens from Harrisons Cameras in Sheffield recently as they’re just down the road from me. Had to get it shipped due to Corona, which is a shame because I like going in! Lens is as-new as far as I can tell and I’d trust their one year warranty.

I should be clear – the fit4 forks only outperform the rear now I’ve added the fractive piston. It’s night and day difference to the original 3-pos compression damper.

Prior to the fractive piston the forks and dpx2 were reasonably matched (I.e good but not great)

I’ve got a 2020 stage 5 with dpx2, and am not over the moon with the shock. Running fox 36 fit4 with Vorsprung fractive on the front seriously shows the shock up. I’m 76kg and ride lots of peaks rocks.

I’d look to get the delux and have it tractive tuned by TF if I were to choose again.

Brilliant bike though. You’ll enjoy it I’m sure.

They certainly are in use. In 2018 GE surpassed 30,000 additively manufactured fuels nozzles produced for the CFM LEAP (a common single isle aircraft engine). You’re reasonably likely to have been taken on a European holiday by AM fuel nozzles.

Other companies are making AM bearing housings etc (structural components within engines) for use in land based gas turbines. The primary reason behind this is the relatively low production volumes making AM make financial sense. Once the cost catches up with casting (not far off) then AM will take over for these components too.

On the finishing front – have you seen a titanium casting being chemically machined (a routine process in aerospace)? Not a pretty or healthy process (although I do admire it, especially the selective depth used on some thin walled structures).

Edited to clarify AM use for GE fuel nozzles

I’ve done plenty of nights and miles with a soloist. Fine as a tent if you’re 6’ or less. I’m 6’ and I wouldn’t fancy it if I were taller.

Nice and light though, and easy to put up and pack down.

Test ride on 9-34 done, and it’s fine for me. Shifting is nice, it was a little noisy but that’s probably because I forgot to lube up in my excitement 😳

I tackled a 5km 5% average and short 10%+ efforts and I wasn’t wanting for more gears, either range or ratios.

I get that on the flat it matters more. My riding is 90% in the peaks and I’m never racing or riding in big groups, so the simplicity and lightness are good in my book.

Amazingly I’ve had a great response from south Yorks police to a complaint yesterday. I wasn’t hit, but was subject to an obscene pass followed by serious verbal assault at the next lights. I took pictures as the car drove off through a red.

I reported the case without much hope but the response today has been good. Given the car is untaxed I’m hoping (and the PC I spoke to agreed) that the DVLA will relieve the owner of the car and a section 172 will be issued.

Fair result in my book, it it all comes off.

ETA – hope it turns out well in your case OP

Tomorrow I’ll be fitting an interesting setup – 40t front with 9-34 ethirteen cassette. Cassette is 270g for 380% range.

Previously run 44 x 11-42 which has been good, but I don’t tend to use the 42t at all. The 40×34 is still lower than a 28 on a compact so should get me up everything my proper road setup did.

We’ll see how it goes in due course.

Used an ergon sm pro for a week of 12hr+ days sat on it. Was good enough to convince me to buy an sr pro for the road bike. Both are well built and still like new.

As I understand it, the road one has a droopier nose to make being in the drops more comfy (which it is).

Appreciate you’ve already bought, but I listened to some edifier speakers at an Airbnb last year. I was genuinely impressed, they were lovely little things.

When I find a reason to buy some I will.

That’ll be it I would think. Tubs seem to do this, but imagine tubes can too.

Drove me mad the first time it happened.

Bits ordered yesterday from CRC, arrived today.

Still fine for me. Stock seems low for some stuff but that’s to be expected at the mo I guess.

Bought two tyres from there two weeks ago. They took roughly a week to get to me in the U.K.

Side note – why do Maxxis tyres NEVER achieve their stated width? 2.6s both holding resolutely at 2.4 😒

I’ve just fitted some 35mm Velo Orange guards to my bike. They’re 200g lighter than the sks p45s they replace and much prettier. They’re stiff enough, fit well and come with plenty of good quality hardware.

£65 and worth it in my opinion.

Another go anywhere here. Had mine well over 10 years. It’s lived outside in the rain, snow and sun year round and is still in fine condition. It’s been all over Europe and the U.K. My only slight gripe is that it takes a while to cool if you want to get on your way after eating.

As above it’s used as our home bbq (just two of us here) by placing it in a shelf I’ve built onto a garden wall. In fact, it’s been on three times in the last week!

I’m currently between jobs (finished one on Friday, should be starting another on the 6th April) so have a lot of time on my hands.

Today I went for a decent road ride in the white peak. I was out for a couple of hours. I saw a few other cyclists and overtook two going up hills (go me!), pulling right out to be more than two meters away. I even had a very courteous driver wait patiently behind as I rounded a corner before overtaking. I waved thanks as they passed – it was the rozzers and they seemingly didn’t care about me being on the bike.

Later I had to go to Aldi. Although it was surprisingly quiet in the shop the chances to transfer infections seemed inordinately higher than when on the bike. Touching products/trollies/surfaces and personal proximity were almost impossible to avoid.

On reflection, I think that so long as we try to shop as little as possible getting out to ride or run away from other is fine.

Referring to some of the points above regarding an increase in runners and riders – I don’t think it should be a surprise that more people are getting out. People have more time on their hands, more energy, the sun is shining, gyms are shut and the roads are safer as there is less traffic. One of the oft reported findings of active travel investigations is that people are scared of the roads (quite rightly). Hopefully a long term outcome is that people get hooked and continue to get out exercising more frequently.

*Edit to add* I cocked up yesterday. Did a one hour spin on the MTB – stopped to help a lass whos pedal had fallen off her nice new road bike (clearly hadn’t been tightened up). She didn’t have any tools so I helped. It was only as she cycled off that I thought “I’ve been within two meters and touched bits of her bike she’s been touching”. Easy to forget, I’ll be more careful from now on.

Cheers guys – the timing is rather unfortunate!

New boss has told me that they’ll support remote working, but how far that goodwill can stretch is another matter.

Tomorrow is the last day of employment for both me and my partner, having resigned 3 months ago. Nice safe jobs, well paid and a good pension. Due to be flying to Australia for a new job on the 6th of April (a big career opportunity, not a lifestyle decision).

Aus have just closed their border “for at least 6 months”.

Feeling rather vulnerable this morning…